Process to move permanently to Spain from the US

It depends on what type of visa you are applying for.  The only visa I know of for sure that you can apply for from within Spain is the investor visa, or Golden Visa.  Otherwise you have to apply at your consulate.  First decide what kind of visa you are going for and then start to gather the necessary documents, with their translations and apostilles.  You can hire an immigration lawyer to help you but you still have to gather all of the documents and apostilles yourself.  Keep in mind that you will have to surrender your passport at the consulate while they process your visa, sometimes for up to two months.  There is plenty of info online if you search enough, and people on this forum are very helpful.

@beeeventura

Hi

Are you moving to retire on NLV, buying a prperty?

If so, most real estate agencies help with visa application, often free if you invested good money.

@beeeventura

Depends on what visa you want, but one of the most common is the NLV or No Lucrativa Visa. This is a non-work option for retired folks and others with passive income (rent, dividends, pensions, etc.). Application must be made at the Spanish embassy/consulate nearest your place of residence.

You need to show, roughly, 2,500 euros in monthly income, or you can show 30k euros in savings. You also need a health insurance policy (zero deductible), criminal record check, and medical certificate. I'm not quite sure on this, but I think you might need to get your NIE first.

The official guidance is here:

https://www.inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/autorizacion-inicial-de-residencia-temporal-no-lucrativa

Strictly speaking this is not a permanent residence authorization, it's a residence visa, usually issued for 1 year. But if you can qualify now, you'll probably be able to qualify for a few renewals... so, in practice, if you want to live in Spain indefinitely, you can. After 5 years of legal residence, one qualifies for permanent residence.

@merrittkennedy thank you.  It's a student visa for 6 months and then I may stay permanently.

@ABcan just a student visa for 6 months stay and maybe stay longer if I decide to move there.

@gwynj thank you so much for the helpful information.

I did a search for "Spain Consulate Visa New York" and found the website with the information you need to get a visa. It also says no information is given by other means. So you need to go here: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/nuevayork/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/inicio.aspx

I looked at the information provided for Non-lucrative visa as that is what I got two years ago to see what it was like. It is very clear and easy to read. That website is: https://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consulados/nuevayork/en/ServiciosConsulares/Paginas/Consular/Visado-de-residencia-no-lucrativa.aspx

To keep my documents organized, I gathered each of the items required and put each one in a sheet protector. One plastic protector for each item. I then put an index in a sheet protector at the beginning. I thing used the holes in the sheet protectors to "tie" them together with yellow and red yarn.

That is what I sent overnight to the consulate in Miami. I was approved within a couple of weeks.

@beeeventura

Student visa shouldn't be too hard to get. But you might want to think about how you would renew it, if you fall in love with life in Spain.

Potentially, you can be a student for several years, but this is typically via some kind of degree (undergrad or postgrad) study. You might also be able to change to employed (if you get a good job offer, and they're happy to deal with immigration issues) or self-employed. I believe this is one of the visas that you CAN apply for in Spain, as well as at your local Spanish embassy.

The official page is here:

https://www.inclusion.gob.es/en/web/migraciones/w/estancia-por-estudios

There's also a new visa the DNV or Digital Nomad Visa, which seems to be popular. If you do remote work, this also might be an option (also can be done inside/outside Spain).

Good luck!

I'm from the US and was just approved for the Digital Nomad Visa. You can enter on a tourist visa for up to 3 months and if you like it, move over to a more permanent visa like DNV, student and so on.

Hope that helps.

Spanish bureaucracy is "tricky" (that's putting it nicely). I have Spanish citizenship - but when my wife and I were planning our relocation to Spain , we realized that a Spanish attorney that specializes in immigration is essential in navigating the process. Hiring an attorney in Spain costs a fraction of what it costs in the USA and imho is well worth the trouble. If you want the contact info for the atty I used, PM me.

For a funny but accurate view of Spanish bureaucracy, search in YouTube for "Corto 036" (I don't believe that I can post links here).

Lol, yes, the YouTube Corto 036 is absolutely priceless!

@gwynj

Extremely interesting post regarding NLV.

Definitely planning to go down this route.

NIE that you mention could be required, what is NIE and is it difficult to get NIE?

Thank you

@lhmz Hello, I see you have just been approved for the DNV. Did you get this in Spain? I am thinking of going as a tourist and then optaining this in Spain once we get there. Thoughts?

@gyoung5718

The NLV is a very popular option for those who have some funds and don't need to work... and it's not hard to get.

The NIE is your unique tax number, Número de Identidad de Extranjero. It's pretty easy to request (and get) one of these, and you can get one independent of visa/residence. Your NIE is necessary if you want to buy a property, but property can be owned by non-residents (e.g. vacation home using your 90 days visa-free allowance).

Once you get your NLV (or other residence visa) you come to Spain, and then apply for your TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero). This is a biometric residence permit for non-EU citizens (and it includes your NIE).

None of these 3 steps is hard to do. But they are bureaucratic processes, so you have to follow the instructions and provide the necessary documentation. Many folks do this on their own, but if you can afford it, it's a lot easier with an immigration attorney or gestor.

@gwynj Hi, What are the requirements for the NLV? And how is it obtained?